Ticket dispenser drawer

ABSTRACT

A drawer for the storage, display, and dispensing apparatus for dispensing tickets of various sizes without the use of moving parts. The dispensing apparatus includes a bin for storing tickets and a dispensing slot utilizing tension arms to guide and control the dispensing of tickets.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates in general to an apparatus for the displayand dispensing of lottery tickets and more specifically to suchapparatus that utilizes tension arms to guide tickets through adispenser.

2. Description of the Prior Art

It is known in the art to store and dispense lottery tickets for instantlottery games. Such tickets are sold in a variety of retailestablishments and are commonly found in grocery stores and conveniencestores. Lottery tickets are often dispensed manually by the simpleprocess of detaching a ticket or tickets from a ticket pack, accordingto the requirements of the ticket purchaser. However, with a variety ofdifferent types of instant lottery games now being offered, it hasbecome commonplace for establishments selling such tickets to usedifferent types of ticket display and dispensing devices for thetickets. A problem with previous devices has been the dispensing oftickets of various thicknesses. The tension on the ticket must be greatenough to prevent the ticket from falling out of the dispenser, but notso great that the ticket becomes stuck in the dispensing slot.

Means of providing an efficient and effective device for the dispensingand accounting of tickets that are sold are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.5,383,572; 3,978,958; 4,982,337; and 5,222,624. Although such vendingdevices appear to be highly efficient in dispensing and accountinglottery tickets, they are expensive to purchase, relatively complex tooperate and maintain, and take up more space than is normally availablefor ticket dispensing devices. U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,926 B1 discloses arelatively inexpensive alternative to the previously listed devices, butother than a friction roller used as means to account for the number oftickets sold, the device has no means to guide the tickets through thedispenser and aid in separation of series connected tickets.

Box-like ticket dispensers with tension-governed exits are shown in U.S.Pat. Nos. 978,052; 2,887,247; 4,738,384; 5,100,038; and 5,399,005. Whilethe devices disclosed in these patents utilize tension to dispensetickets, all of them are more complex than the present invention,requiring springs, rollers and/or manual adjustments in order toproperly function. These parts suffer from wear as tickets aredispensed, and require servicing to restore the device to properfunction.

One objective of the present invention is to provide a space savingstructure with simplified means for providing continual proper tensionon lottery tickets as they are drawn through the dispensing slot,without need for springs, moving parts, manual adjustments, orservicing.

A second objective is to provide a structure at lower manufacturing costwith fewer maintenance needs.

A third objective of the present invention is to provide a drawer toaccommodate tickets of varying thicknesses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides for the storage, display, and dispensingof various types of lottery tickets that have varying thicknesses. Theticket dispensing apparatus of the present invention includes a drawerfor storing a pack of tickets, a ticket holding bin, and a ticketdispensing assembly utilizing tension arms which guide tickets throughthe apparatus. Because the tension arms are flexible, tickets of varyingthicknesses experience tension without becoming stuck in the slot.

One of the advantages of the present invention is that it is of a simpledesign that does not wear like rollers, requires no moving parts likesprings or rollers, costs less to produce and maintain, and lasts longerbefore requiring replacement.

Another advantage of the present invention is that the dispensing slotcan accommodate tickets of various thicknesses due to the use ofresilient tension arms.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will bereadily appreciated from the following description. The descriptionmakes reference to the accompanying drawings, which are provided forillustration of the preferred embodiment. However, such embodiment doesnot represent the full scope of the invention. The subject matter, whichthe inventor does regard as his invention, is particularly pointed outand distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of thisspecification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the preferred embodiment of a ticketdispenser.

FIG. 2 is a side view in elevation of the ticket dispenser of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view in elevation of the ticketdispenser of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a front view in elevation of the ticket dispenser drawer ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of the preferred embodiment of atension arm assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the drawings, a ticket dispenser in the form of adrawer that is the preferred embodiment of the present invention isdisclosed at 10 in FIG. 1. The drawer 10 has a dispensing end 12 and anopposite end 14. At the dispensing end 12 is a ticket dispensingassembly 16. As best seen in FIG. 4, the ticket dispensing assembly 16comprises a ticket dispensing slot 18 defined by an upper guide portion20 and a lower guide portion 22. Referring back to FIG. 1, the drawer 10contains a ticket holding bin 24, which has a floor 26, a front wall 28,a rear wall 30, and two side walls 32 and 32(a). Four of such bins 24are in the preferred embodiment.

In the preferred embodiment, a tension arm assembly disclosed at 34 inFIG. 5 is removably attached to the front wall 28 of the bin 24. FIG. 3shows the attachment. A resilient tension arm 35 extends from thetension arm assembly 34. In the preferred embodiment, three of suchtension arms 35, 35(a) and 35(b) extend from the tension arm assembly34. The tension arm assembly 34 has means for associating said tensionarm with said front wall. In the preferred embodiment, said meanscomprises an elongated portion 37 and spaced apart sidewalls 40. Thesidewalls 40 form a slot 38, in the elongated portion 37 of said tensionarm assembly and the slot 38 frictionally engages front wall 28 as seenin FIG. 3.

As seen best in FIG. 3, a directing means 42 such as a curved elongatedmember or roller is positioned laterally across the opposite end 14 ofthe drawer 10. A plurality of series connected tickets 44 are stored inthe bin 24 and are looped around said directing means 42 and then passedthrough the dispensing slot 18. As the tickets 44 pass over the tensionarm 35, an outer edge 36 of said tension arm 35 presses said tickets 44against said upper guide portion 20. This pressure controls the movementof tickets 44 through the dispensing slot 18 and inhibits movement oftickets 44 through the dispensing slot 18 as one or more of said tickets44 are separated from the rest of said tickets 44. The tension arm 35deflects as tickets 44 pass over it, allowing for tickets 44 of varyingthicknesses to pass through the dispensing slot 18 without becomingstuck. In the preferred embodiment, the tension arm 35 is formed ofacetal, which is a resilient, flexible, and inexpensive substance.

Another aspect of the preferred embodiment is the curvatures of theupper guide portion 20 and the tension arm 35. The upper guide portion20 as shown in FIG. 3 comprises a bulge 21 toward the tickets 44 toguide the tickets 44 down and under the upper guide portion 20. Thetension arm 35 is reciprocally shaped with a concave portion 37 facingthe tickets 44 to guide the tickets 44 up and over the tension arm 35.As tickets 44 are fed into the dispensing slot 18, the bulge 21 and theconcave portion 37 of the upper guide portion 20 and the tension arm 35,respectively, guide tickets 44.

The drawer is constructed such that it can be placed inside a drawerhousing 50 as shown in FIG. 6. As seen in FIG. 1, protruding side edges46 and 46(a) extend from the drawer 10. These side edges may be used toengage a reciprocal means in a drawer housing 50. The dispensing end 12of the drawer 10 contains a lock 48 to secure the drawer 10 inside thedrawer housing 50.

Thus, the present invention has been described in an illustrativemanner. It is to be understood that the terminology that has been usedis intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than oflimitation.

Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possiblein light of the above teachings. For example, the number of bins 24 andtension arms 35 may deviate from the preferred embodiment. Therefore,within the scope of the appended claims, the present invention may bepracticed otherwise than as specifically described.

1. An apparatus for the storage, display and dispensing of tickets, saidapparatus comprising: (a) a drawer for storing a plurality of seriesconnected tickets, said drawer including a dispensing end, and anopposite end; (b) a ticket dispensing assembly located at the dispensingend of said drawer comprising a ticket dispensing slot, said slotincluding an upper guide portion and a lower guide portion through whichsaid tickets are dispensed; (c) at least one ticket holding bin in saiddrawer including: i. a floor ii. a front wall behind the ticketdispensing slot ii. a rear wall iii. two sidewalls, and (d) at least oneresilient tension arm to provide sufficient tension on the tickets beingdispensed through said slot for controlling the tickets duringseparation thereof.
 2. A dispensing apparatus as recited in claim 1,wherein said drawer holds a plurality of said ticket holding bins.
 3. Adispensing apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said drawer includesat least four said ticket holding bins.
 4. A dispensing apparatus asrecited in claim 1, wherein said at least one tension arm comprises agenerally concaved longitudinal axis and an outer edge such that saidouter edge is positioned so as to engage said tickets relative to saidupper guide portion of the dispensing slot.
 5. A dispensing apparatus asrecited in claim 1, wherein a plurality of said tension arms providesufficient tension on the tickets being dispensed through said slot toprovide control of said tickets during separation thereof.
 6. Adispensing apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein at least three ofsaid tension arms are removably attached to the front wall of each ofsaid ticket holding bins.
 7. A dispensing apparatus as recited in claim4, wherein the upper guide portion of the dispensing slot curvesdownwardly toward the exit of the dispensing slot to form a bulge facingtoward the tickets and each said at least one tension arm curvesupwardly toward the exit of the dispensing slot whereby the upper guideportion of the dispensing slot and each of said plurality of tensionarms assists in guiding the tickets through the dispensing slot.
 8. Adispensing apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least onetension arm is formed of a flexible material such that the tension armtemporarily deflects as said tickets are dispensed and allows tickets ofvarying thicknesses to pass through said dispensing slot.
 9. Adispensing apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the drawer has atleast two protruding side edges for attaching said drawer to a drawerhousing.
 10. A dispensing apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein adirecting means is located in said opposite end and said tickets aretrained around said directing means.
 11. A dispensing apparatus asrecited in claim 1, wherein the drawer further comprises a lock wherebythe drawer is securable to a drawer housing.
 12. A dispensing apparatusas recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one tension arm extendsfrom a tension arm assembly and said tension arm assembly comprisesmeans for associating said tension arm with said at least one bin frontwall.
 13. A dispensing apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein aplurality of tension arms extend from said tension arm assembly.
 14. Adispensing apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein said means forassociating said tension arm with said front wall includes: (a) anelongated portion with an attachment slot having spaced apart side wallsthat frictionally engage the front wall of the at least one bin; and (b)said at least one tension arm extends from said elongated portion.
 15. Adispensing apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the attachment slotis narrower than the at least one bin front wall such that the sidewalls of the slot grip said at least one bin front wall.
 16. Adispensing apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein a plurality of saidtension arms extend from said elongated portion of said frictionallyengaged tension arm assembly.
 17. A dispensing apparatus as recited inclaim 14, wherein at least three of said tension arms extend from saidelongated portion of said frictionally engaged tension arm assembly. 18.A dispensing apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein said tension armassembly and said tension arm are formed of one piece injection moldedacetal.
 19. A dispensing apparatus as recited in claim 12, furthercomprising a plurality of said tension arm assemblies wherein each ofsaid plurality of said tension arm assemblies is removably attached toone of said ticket holding bin front walls.
 20. A dispensing apparatusas recited in claim 19, wherein the number of said tension armassemblies equals the number of said ticket holding bin front walls.